New Guinea ground boa (Candoia aspera)

Short answers

New Guinea ground boa: How big does the enclosure need to be?

From 80×45×55 cm (minimum size according to the 1997 expert report, Pacific boas); terrestrial, floor area is what counts.

New Guinea ground boa: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 26–28 °C, basking spot 30–32 °C, at night 24 °C.

New Guinea ground boa: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB not essential (nocturnal), weak UVB is tolerated.

New Guinea ground boa: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: approx. 20 years.

New Guinea ground boa: Is it suitable for beginners?

Rather not – it is considered an intermediate species (difficulty: Intermediate).

Climate

Daytime temperature

26–28 °C

Night temperature

24 °C

Basking spot

30–32 °C

Humidity

60–80 % (higher at night)

UVB

UVB not essential (nocturnal), weak UVB is tolerated

Enclosure

Minimum size

from 80×45×55 cm (minimum size according to the 1997 expert report, Pacific boas); terrestrial, floor area is what counts

Substrate

Coco soil or coco chips at least 8 cm deep (it likes to dig), moisture-retaining; a large water basin for bathing

Feeding

Food

Rodents (mice or young rats); occasionally small lizards

Feeding interval

neonates and subadults weekly, adults every 2 weeks

Key facts

Adult size

40–70 cm (short and very heavily built)

Life expectancy

approx. 20 years

Origin

Eastern Indonesia, New Guinea

Protection status

Protected: CITES Appendix II, EU Annex B - proof of origin required at purchase and resale. Predominantly wild-caught - check for legal proof of origin.

Brumation

None (tropical)

Cohabitation

Keep them singly – solitary and territorial; put them together only briefly for supervised breeding, and never keep males together

Notes

A ground-dwelling, stocky "viper boa". Common mistakes: wild-caught animals with a high parasite load, food refusal, and conditions that are too dry. It usually defecates in the water – change the water regularly.

Do you keep this species?

Add your animal to Reptoria – Reptoria reminds you about feeding and shedding. Add your animal for free →

Look for New Guinea ground boa (Candoia aspera) in the marketplace →

Related species

• Bibron's bevel-nosed boa (Candoia bibroni) – Intermediate
• Solomon Islands ground boa (Candoia paulsoni) – Intermediate
• Viper boa (Candoia carinata) – Intermediate
• Amazon tree boa (Corallus batesii) – Expert
• Argentine boa (Boa constrictor occidentalis) – Intermediate
• True red-tailed boa – Guyana (Boa constrictor constrictor) – Intermediate
• True red-tailed boa – Peru (Boa constrictor constrictor) – Intermediate
• True red-tailed boa – Suriname (Boa constrictor constrictor) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep New Guinea ground boa (Candoia aspera) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (from 80×45×55 cm (minimum size according to the 1997 expert report, Pacific boas); terrestrial, floor area is what counts), substrate (Coco soil or coco chips at least 8 cm deep (it likes to dig), moisture-retaining; a large water basin for bathing), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.